Statement regarding federally sponsored research or developmentxe2x80x94not applicable.
Reference to sequence listingxe2x80x94not applicable.
1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates generally to devices for use in removing grease from cooked meat.
More particularly, the invention relates to a manually operable device to press excess grease from cooked ground meat.
2. Description of Prior Art
Non-formed ground meat is typically cooked in a closed-bottom pan or pot, resulting in an accumulation of grease in the pan with the cooked meat. Before consumption or use in further cooking, it is customary to separate the grease from the cooked meat. And for health considerations, it is desirable to remove as much grease as possible.
Grease is typically removed from cooked ground meat by either tipping the pan over a disposal container while holding a lid offset against the top of the pan to prevent loss of the meat, or pouring the cooked meat and grease into a strainer to drain the grease out. However, a certain amount of grease remains in the meat with such procedures. Moreover, such procedures can be dangerous because the person may be required to position his or her hands above the hot meat and grease, and/or to rotate or twist his or her wrists into an awkward position. And the more grease that is desired to be removed, the longer the person must hold his or her hands in such dangerous or awkward positions.
Certain prior devices have attempted to address the first concern with specialized equipment to press excess grease from cooked meat.
For example, Ferguson, U.S. Pat. No. 5,419,250, discloses a Hamburger Degreaser to remove excess grease from cooked hamburgers. This device includes a lower container provided with a cavity to receive grease, a cover that is releasably connected to the container, a draining plate positioned between the container and cover at the top of the cavity, and a pressing plate that is linearly movable toward and away from the draining plate and is spring-biased away from the draining plate. The cooked hamburger is placed on the draining plate, the cover is connected to the lower container, and the pressing plate is manually pressed toward the draining plate to press the excess grease from the hamburger.
However, this device suffers from certain drawbacks and disadvantages. For example, the cover completely encloses the draining plate during use, and must be completely separated from the lower container between each use to insert and remove the cooked meat. The device is relatively complicated, with numerous parts and various sliding fits required, and is therefore relatively expensive. The presence of several distinct parts presents the possibility that one or more parts may be lost, thus rendering the remaining parts of the device inoperable for their intended use. And the device is for use with formed patties only. It is not suitable for use in removing excess grease from a quantity of non-formed ground meat because it lacks side walls or other arrangement to retain a reasonable quantity of the meat on the draining plate.
Other prior devices for removing excess grease from cooked ground meat are also known. However, as with Ferguson, these other devices are generally intended to press grease from formed patties, and are not suitable for use with non-formed ground meat.
Thus, there is a need for a device that addresses the above-identified concerns, disadvantages and drawbacks. In particular, there is a need for an improved device that is suitable for use in removing excess grease from both formed and non-formed cooked ground meat.
The general aim of the invention is to provide a new and improved device for use in removing excess grease from cooked ground meat.
A detailed objective is to provide a cost effective, manually operable grease press of relatively simple construction, that is easy to use, and that promotes safety during use.
Another detailed objective is to provide a press that is quickly and easily opened and closed for ease of loading and removing cooked meat, and that relies on manual pressure developed as the device is closed for removal of excess grease from the cooked meat.
Yet another detailed objective is to provide a manually operable grease press which, while suitable for other uses, is especially useful with a quantity of cooked meat that one person can easily and safely lift and manipulate such as typically used in a home or other small-volume environment.
These and other objectives and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
In a preferred embodiment, a press according to the invention includes a main body provided with an upwardly opening cavity for receiving the cooked meat and a front spout, and a lid pivotally connected to the body and provided with a center pressing plate sized to fit into the cavity against the top of the cooked meat. The body and lid are further provided with complimentary left and right handles sized to be squeezed together with the user""s left and right hands. Excess grease is pressed out of and removed from the meat by simultaneously squeezing the handles together and pouring the grease from the spout.
Accordingly, a preferred embodiment grease press is relatively simple in both construction and use, requires very few parts, and is relatively economical to produce. Provision of the connected body and lid eliminate the potential that one or the other part is misplaced during storage. Provision of the complimentary left and right handles used to press excess grease from the cooked meat requires the user to safely position both hands off to the side of the potentially hot grease as it is poured out of the device.
In one embodiment, the handles are somewhat elongated, to permit the user to grip and squeeze the handles, and simultaneously pour the grease out, by positioning his or her hands with the palms facing down, curling the fingers around the forward side of the handles and the thumbs around the back sides, and rotating the user""s wrists downwardly, promoting safe and convenient use of the press.
In an alternate embodiment, the body and lid are separate components, not pivotally connected together.
In a second alternate embodiment, the handles are shorter and wider, sized to be gripped with the user""s palms facing each other, with his or her fingers curled under the handles and thumbs over the tops of the handles. Grease is removed from the cooked meat by squeezing the handles together, and rotating the spout to drain the grease from the press.